Edward l



No. 751,302. PATENTED 1* :312490'4;

.' E. L. KRAFT 6; anyone-: I

APPARE 'FAD.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1903.

I 10 MODEL.

Patented February 2, 1904.

PATENT OFFIC EDWARD L. KRAFT AND CHARLES YOUNG, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPAREL-PAD.

SPECIFICATION f rming p r of L rs Patent N 751,302, dated February 2,1904.

Application filed August 22, 1903. Serial No. 170,452. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD L. KRAFT and CHARLEs P. YOUNG, citizens ofthe United vised and patented.

States, residing in York, county of York, and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparel- Pads, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being bad therein tothe accompanying drawings.

In pads or dress-forms of this sort numerous constructions haveheretofore been de- In some air-tight flexible casings adapted to beinflated have been resorted to to obtain the necessary shape andflexibility. In others a covered framework of flexible wire or rods havebeen employed, while in still others a fibrous packing material has beenused. All these attempts to produce the ideal pad or form have failedfor one or more of the following principal causes: They lack durability,they are expensive in material or manufacture, they absorb perspirationfrom the body and soon become foul, they lose their elasticity and soonpack or harden and lose their shape, they are unnecessarily heavy, theyinterfere with ventilation and are therefore hot and uncomfortable inwarm weather, and in the case of pneumatic padsthey are liable todeflation by puncture. It is the object of our invention to avoid theseobjections and approach more nearly to the ideal article; and to thisend we provide a pad which shall be extremely light in weight, flexible,durable, non-absorbent, easily cleanable should it become foul, elastic,self-ventilating in the highest degree, more artistic in that it moreclosely simulates flesh in appearance and to the touch through theclothing, non-collapsible, retains its shape until worn out, and shallnot requirea cloth covering, as more fully hereinafter described.

The invention, broadly considered, consists in constructing the pad ofmulticellular, membranous, non-fibrous, non absorbent elastic material,a single piece of homogeneous material being preferably used and the padbeing properly shaped by molding it or cutting it to the desired shapefrom a block of the multicellular material.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a crosssection of a bust-padapproximately concavoconvex in cross-section, and Fig. 2 an enlargeddetail section.

Any suitable elastic membranous material may be used; but rubber ispreferred, as that is the cheapest andbest for the purpose. The outercells are open to the, atmosphere, and practically all the cellscommunicate with each other, so that the pad will yield readily at anypoint, and the walls of the cells are formed of a very thin and flexiblemembrane. pad need not be covered with cloth or other material, as itwill retain its normal shape unaided and will wear practically as longas the wearer has need for it. The open cellular structure provides forthorough ventilation or aeration, especially as every time it isdistorted from its normal shape and is restored by its own elasticity acirculation of air is caused. The pad not being of fibrous material isnon absorbent, but may be readily cleaned with water should it becomefoul, and it may be made so light as to be inappreciable in weight tothewearer. It will not pack or hardenunder long usage and will not loseits shape by being torn orpunctured, and, furthermore, it very closelyresembles flesh to the touch as well as in appearance through thewearers clothing.

It is obvious that the pad may be adapted for any part of the bodywithout departing from the invention in the least. It is obvious alsothat the cells may be any shape clesired, regular or irregular. In thedrawings annexed they are shown irregular and somewhat elongated.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. Anapparel-pad constructed of multicellular material, the walls of thecells being formed by a thin membrane and the cells extending throughoutthe body of the pad.

2. An apparel-pad consisting'of a single piece of homogeneousmulticellular elastic material so as to normally retain its shape, thewalls of the cells being formed of thin elastic membrane.

3. An apparel-pad constructed of a single piece of homogeneousnon-absorbent material multicellular,throughout the walls of the cellsSuch a being formed of a thin membrane and the cells communicating Witheach other and With the atmosphere, the cells being normally open orexpanded to permit air to pass readily through the pad.

4. An apparel-pad constructed of Inulticellular elastic material, theWalls of the cells being formed by a thin membrane, said pad beingthicker at its center and tapering in all directions toward its edge.

5. An apparel-pad constructed of multicellular material, the Walls ofthe cells being convex in its outer side and convex on its inner sideand thicker at its center and tapering I 5 in all directions toward itsedge.

In testimony whereof We hereunto aflix our signatures, in the presenceof two Witnesses, this 19th day of August, 1903.

EDWVARD L. KRAFT. CHARLES I. YOUNG. Witnesses:

THOMAS SHILDT, L. P. Gnoss.

